Dhaka //

Advisor for Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs Supradeep Chakma has called for a realistic environment for sustainable development of Chittagong Hill Tracts by keeping the ecosystem, nature and environment in the right position. He said, “The environment of the hills should be utilized beautifully to maintain natural balance. Without doing anything adverse to nature and environment in the name of project development, the bushes, forests and fauna of the hills should be left intact and trees like bamboo, cane and shrubs should be planted. The immense beauty of Chittagong Hill Tracts should be kept intact.”

The advisor made this call during a courtesy call on a two-member delegation led by UNDP International Project Manager Yuges Pradhan at the office of Advisor to the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs Supradeep Chakma at the Secretariat on Sunday. At that time, UNDP’s Chief Technical Specialist for Forest and Watershed Management, Dr. Ram Sharma, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs, Pradeep Kumar Mahottam, NDC, Joint Secretary Konkan Chakma and Assistant Private Secretary to the Advisor (Senior Assistant Secretary) Subhashish Chakma were present.

This was a preliminary directional discussion on the inclusion of stakeholders from the Chittagong Hill Tracts in the formulation of the Technical Assistant Project Proposal (TAPP) of the project titled ‘Ecosystem Restoration and Resilient Development in CHT’ proposed by UNDP in the Chittagong Hill Tracts and other issues included in the project. The ministry has informed the delegation that another meeting will be convened in mid-January 2025 in this regard.

Regarding the proposed project, Advisor Supradeep Chakma said, the nature and environment of the hilly region should be arranged in a ‘like where, like there’ way while maintaining its uniqueness. The source of water is the mountains. In the Chittagong Hill Tracts, instead of destroying the water layer, ground surface water should be used instead of deep tubewells. The advisor advised the concerned to keep the marginalized people of the Chittagong Hill Tracts involved in this project.

Hilly Region Advisor Supradeep Chakma said, to bring about the dynamism of the society, it has become necessary to develop quality education by giving more importance to innovative knowledge in the education systems of our Chittagong Hill Tracts. Innovative education systems are very necessary to move towards a sustainable future. Quality education will make it possible for the people of the hilly region to harmonize their thoughts and feelings with the modern people of the world. Bamboo is a very effective material in protecting the environment. We have to be more careful in conserving and using the water of Kaptai Lake. We need to find more innovative methods to retain and use the water of rivers, canals and streams in the right way. We need to be very conscious about protecting the environment. Cotton cultivation, sugarcane cultivation, bamboo cultivation, mango, banana, pineapple cultivation, coffee and cashew nut cultivation are more important for the development of the lives and livelihoods of the people of the hilly regions. Despite the hostile and adverse environment of the hilly regions, the people of the hilly regions want to be equal partners in the sustainable development of the country.

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